Remembrance Day November 6, 2022
St Columba Presbyterian Church
November 11 is Remembrance Day. On this day the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour we pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace.
Remembrance Day is a day for all Canadians to remember the men and women who served and sacrificed for our country. It is a day we encourage every individual, young and old, to pause, to give thanks and to remember.
This year celebrates the 150 birthday of Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. John was born November 30, 1872 in Guelph and Guelph is honouring his contributions as a doctor, soldier, teacher and poet. He is best known as the author of “In Flanders Fields”. He was first a member of the Queen’s Own Rifles. On graduation from medical school he practiced in Montreal and was a lecturer in pathology at McGill University. When WWI broke out he enlisted as a medical officer. He penned In Flanders Fields during the ballet of Ypres, Belgium in the Spring of 1915. The poem was published anonymously in December 1915 in England and quickly became popular. John McCrae was later credited as the author. He planned it as a recollection on death and a call to arms. The poem was used to sell war bonds, recruit soldiers and commemorate the fallen. It enshrined the poppy as a symbol of grief and loss and today the poppy is part of the Canadian Tradition of Remembrance. Since 1921, the Poppy has stood as a national symbol of Remembrance. The Poppy is also the recognized symbol for the Legion’s Poppy Campaign, which raises funds to support Veterans and their dependents. The Legion sells over 20 million poppies as part of this campaign and over $20 million is returned to help veterans.
John McCrae died of pneumonia on January28, 1918 at age 45. He is buried in the Commonwealth Graves Cemetery in Wimereux,France.
Honour Roll
St Columba Presbyterian Church
Note the names come from the booklets Marion MacMaster, a much loved teacher and historian from Laggan. She was also a member of this congregation.
There are 54 names on the list. What a commitment to service this congregation has made considering its size.
One of those on the list is my father. There are fathers of members of this congregation, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, cousins, neighbors and friends. Many veterans returned to this area to farm. We thank them for their dedication and efforts in building up the wonderful agricultural community we live in.
In proud and grateful memory of the young men from this congregation who made the supreme sacrifice
In World War I (1914 – 1918)
Lance Corporal John Ellison
Private Alex Andrew MacLeod
In World War II (1939 – 1945)
Gunner Billie Dewar
Pilot Officer Campbell MacGillivray
Corporal Donald MacLeod
Sapper Lloyd MacRae
Trooper Patrick Williams
Those Who Served World War 1
Captain John Franklin
Private John Thomas MacDonald
Sapper Norman MacLeod
Private Norman Duncan MacLeod
Lance Corporal Alex Neil MacLeod
Private Alexander MacLeod
Lance Corporal Angus MacLeod
Sergeant Malcolm McCrimmon
Lieutenant Donald Malcolm Morrison
Private Charles Spence
Private Hugh Stewart
Those Who Served World War II
Private Donald Dewar
Private Ian Dewar
Nursing Sister Margaret Franklin
Corporal George Fulton
Sapper Harry Livesey
Aircraftsman 1 Norman MacCrimmon
Signalman John MacCrimmon
Corporal Malcolm MacCuaig
Flight Sergeant Dougal MacGillivray
Sergeant Fred MacLeod
Nursing Sister Hilda MacLeod
Sergeant Martha MacLeod
Private John D MacLennan
Corporal John MacLeod
Trooper Fred MacLennan
Trooper Angus MacMaster
Trooper Donald E MacMaster
Gunner Douglas MacMaster
Gunner Ewen MacMaster
Trooper Keith MacMaster
Trooper Roy MacMaster
Leading Aircraftsman Clark MacMillan
Leading Aircraftsman Douglas MacMillan
Private Hughie Peter MacMillan
Gunner D. A. MacPhee
Sergeant Eddy MacRae
Trooper Norman MacRae
Private Edna McMeekin
Trooper John Hugh Morrison
Private Dolphice Pichie
Private Lorne Pichie
Sapper Mayo Pichie
Private William Pichie
Captain Rev Norman Sharkey
Gunner Alec Williams
Private Cecil Vogan
We honour those who have served both past and present in times of war, conflict and peace by observing
From John 15: My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
As Marion put it in the forward – St Columba owes great gratitude to those remarkable people who took on the task of defeating Canada’s enemies.
I want to close with a prayer that was scratched out on a prison cell in Cologne during the Second World War.
I believe in the sun,
even when it does not shine.
I believe in love,
even when I cannot feel it.
I believe in God,
even when he is silent.
The Act of Remembrance
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
We will remember them.
Phyllis MacMaster
22 11 05
